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Staff Profiles

Mary Sekiya

Mary Sekiya

Chief Technical Officer I

My role is Chief Technical Officer I in the Pathobiology - Microbiology and Parasitology section of the School of Veterinary Medicine. My interests are in Veterinary Clinical Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology, I contribute to the UVH Diagnostic laboratories and research in both of these areas. I have worked extensively in the areas of liver fluke diagnosis and vaccine development in bovines and equines.

I'm keen to implement sustainable research measures in our research laboratories and have completed the My Green Lab Accredited Professional training. I chair the steering committee of the UCD Sustainable Research Initiative, a grassroots group that is committed to working more sustainably in our research areas.

In addition, I chair the School of Veterinary Medicine Sustainability Committee.

Carlotta Sacchi

Carlotta Sacchi

Chief Technical Officer II

I have been working in UCD for over 25 years, beginning in the Department of Zoology and now in the School of Biology and Environmental Science. With a background in Cell and Molecular Biology, my work has been consistently laboratory- based. I have always had an interest in environmental issues but my awareness of research's environmental footprint increased significantly when I spent some time working on Prion diseases in a biosafety level 3 laboratory. In this type of lab, single- use consumables are required for safety protocols and nothing can be recycled. This experience opened my eyes and sparked my growing interest in addressing sustainability issues in research labs.

In my role as Chief Technical Officer, I oversee our teaching facilities and have been actively implementing sustainability improvements over the past several years.

I am currently chairing the SRI Green Labs group and I am a member the Sustainability Unit working group for Research, Innovation and Impact.

Sinead McGinley

Sinéad McGinley

Research Partner

I am a Research Partner in UCD Research and provide strategic support to academics across the university to deliver research impact at scale in areas of national and global need. I help foster collaborations across disciplines, developing and driving major strategic research initiatives to deliver cross-cutting opportunities for UCD's research community in the area of sustainability. I supported the establishment of the UCD Sustainable Research Initiative and represent UCD Research on the Steering Committee.

Bryan Dalton profile picture

Bryan Dalton

Production and Process Development Scientist

I’m an Environmental Science graduate from the University of Galway working as a Production and Process Development Scientist with University College Dublin (UCD) biotech spin-out BioPlastech. My biotech experience began in 2017 with Mango Materials, a San Francisco Bay Area start-up that produces biobased and biodegradable polymer polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) using waste biogas (methane) as a carbon source in bacterial fermentations. My previous work in this field has included working within BiOrbic under EPA funded project BioPost, which focused on polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA’s) for food packaging applications. I continue to focus on the production and development of PHA’s, collaborating with universities and other biotechnology companies under EU funded projects such as BioPackMan.

My research and development in biodegradable polymers along with my environmental science background has motivated me to implement practical solutions for reducing and optimising waste streams in the lab.

Ana Pereira do Vale

Ana Vale

Assistant Professor in Veterinary Public Health

Dr. Ana Vale is an Assistant Professor in Veterinary Public Health at School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin. Ana obtained her DVM at Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon. She spent 8 years as a small animal clinician and in 2013, after completing a MVS in Conservation Medicine at Murdoch University, she moved to University College Dublin to undertake her PhD, and investigate antimicrobial resistance in animals. Her current research focuses on the characterisation of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, zoonotic diseases and wildlife health using the One Health approach. She is a member of the European Wildlife Disease Association (EWDA) Sustainability Committee and Vet Sustain.

Éimear Ryan

Éimear Ryan

Chief Technical Officer I

As CTO in the Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, my team and I oversee the operations of the research labs. With over ten schools represented within the Institute, the research spans a wide array of fields, which in turn generates significant waste and energy consumption. This is what led me to become interested in sustainability – striving to reduce our environmental impact and promote more sustainable practices within the research environment. I have successfully led the Institute in My Green Lab Certification to Green Level, a significant milestone in our sustainability journey. I also actively contribute to the University’s sustainability efforts as a member of the UCD SRI Steering Group, and as a member of the Operational Integration Working Group for UCD Sustainability.
I am passionate about championing sustainability in research, not only within the Conway Institute but also across the University, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility.

Gwyneth MacMaster

Gwyneth MacMaster

Chief Technical Officer I

As Chief Technical Officer I in the School of Biology & Environmental Science, I am responsible for the overall management of our research and teaching facilities with sustainability being a key pillar. My involvement in sustainability at UCD began with the 2020-2025 strategy's Theme 1: Creating a Sustainable Global Society Steering Committee. This role gave me a comprehensive view of campus-wide challenges and opportunities. Since then, I’ve continued my involvement at a university level as a member of the SRI Steering Group and the University Management Team Sustainability Group.

My core interests include energy reduction in labs, such as the ongoing fume hood energy audit project that is currently in the O'Brien Centre for Science with UCD Estates. Beyond this, I'm passionate about advancing sustainability education and integrating sustainable practices into both my school's daily operations and the broader UCD community.

UCD Estates logo

Gary Smith

Head of Estate Services Operations

I am a member of the UCD Estate Services team working in campus operations, with responsibility for many of the soft facility services delivery within the University.

My educational background started in the biological sciences in UCC and moved into Environmental Management in DIT and UCD. Moving into operations meant dealing with contract management and procurement so I continued my studies in DCU in Strategic Procurement.

My involvement in the development and management of services to the University, e.g. waste management, and their impact on sustainability led me to become involved in initiatives such as the Green Campus and the Sustainable Research Initiative.

Gina Duggan

Gina Duggan

Senior Technical Officer

I am a Senior Technical Officer working in the Biosciences section in the School of Veterinary Medicine with experience in areas such as molecular biology, microbiology and genomics, as well as working with zebrafish and infection models.

During my PhD, I was struck by the sheer volume of plastic waste produced in labs. This fuelled my desire to make my own laboratory more sustainable when I joined the School of Veterinary Medicine and led me to get involved in the UCD Greenlabs group and later the Sustainable Research Initiative (SRI) steering group. I designed the SRI website as a central resource for our group to share information on wet lab sustainability with the wider community.